The Guardian of Innocence
by Libby16
Summary: Never once did Jamie Bennett stop believing, and now, on his death bed, Jack Frost mourns the loss of the first human to see him. But the Man in the Moon has other ideas for the boy who once was the only child in the world that believed.
1. Chapter 1

The age laden skin held no truth as to his interior. From first glance, one would see a withered and frail man nearing the hundreds mark in age, but a further look would reveal a bright and lively heart. Inside, his veins pulsed youth and beauty – everything childhood stood for.

At ninety-eight years of age, Jamie Bennett radiated youth.

Despite the effervescence that encompassed him, his physical state proved hindrance.

He lay weak and limp in the warmth of his own bed. He knew the fate he was resigned to and insisted his family keep him out of the hospital. If he were to leave this world, he wanted to be in the security of his own home.

He sighed contently with shaky breath and glanced at the frost-bitten window.

Nearly nine decades had passed since he last saw the alabaster winter spirit, but that was merely in person. Jamie knew very well that even though Jack wasn't physically in front of him, he was there. He lay there in the first snowfall of the year; his breath was the icy winter wind; Jack Frost lived and breathed through every winter season, and that was enough for Jamie, no matter how much he yearned to be visited by him one last time.

Footsteps outside the door perturbed the silence and Jamie welcomed it with grace. A flaxen haired girl and a mahogany haired boy bound in the room with delight. Forgetful of their Grandfather's current state, they bounced onto the bed and nuzzled against him. To them, Jamie was still the man who would tell them tales of whimsical beings – ones who guarded their dreams and memories; the ones who would protect them.

He gave an airy laugh, much different from the hearty one he used to bellow. Despite the frail state he was in, his grandchildren were always welcome by his side.

"Emma Lee and Devon, off your grandfather now!" Scolded Jamie's daughter firmly.

"Let them stay," Jamie said barely above a whisper. "You know how I love them." This caused the two to nuzzle deeper into his side.

His daughter, Jacquelyn, merely sighed. "I suppose so, but you don't need to be exerting yourself so much."

"I'm fine," he assured lightly. He would rather be tired than lose one of the last opportunities to be with his grandchildren. Noticing an absence, he asked, "Where is Katrina?"

Jacquelyn glanced around the room, noticing the absence of her eldest. She excused herself to find the teenager while Jamie mused on his daughter's icy hair. She lived up to her namesake.

"How cold is it outside?" Jamie asked Emma Lee and Devon.

"Freezing!" Exclaimed Emma Lee.

"Momma won't let us leave without at least two coats," said Devon. "She says she doesn't want Jack Frost to nip at our nose."

Jamie smiled wryly at this. "Oh, but you _do _want Jack Frost to nip at your nose! Who do you think it is delivering you all those extra snow days! When I was your age, we all loved Jack Frost for getting us out of school!"

Jacquelyn re-entered the room, Katrina trailing behind. "Not filling their heads with fairytales again, are you Dad?" She asked warily. Where Jacquelyn had developed her black and white antics from, Jamie would never know. He raised her on the legends of Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, but she shunned it all, claiming it was useless and a waste of time to indulge in such fantasy. She tried to convince her twins, both nearing the age of nine, that it was tactless to continue believing such things. They, of course, ignored her and continued to be swept away in the world of magic. The same could not be said for Katrina.

Standing slightly shorter than her Mother, she bore the same alabaster hair; however, a round belly protruded from her thin hips. At only fifteen years of age, Katrina stood six months pregnant.

Jamie was heartbroken when he discovered the news. When had his little Katrina, his first grandchild, lost the innocence of youth?

"Hey Granddad," she said shyly.

"Katrina," he greeted with a smile.

Jacquelyn could feel the tension in the air and decided to cut the meeting short. "We were on our way to the store and thought we'd stop by. Your nurse should be here in twenty minutes to give you your medications."

"Thanks for stopping by," Jamie said gratefully. "You're welcome by any time. I suppose you're going to be on your way now." Jacquelyn nodded once. "Well then get over here and say goodbye properly," he insisted.

Jacquelyn and Katrina walked over to lightly kiss him on the forehead. Katrina backed away immediately, but Jacquelyn lingered a bit longer. "I love you dad," she whispered. Emma Lee and Devon had taken to latching onto Jamie's body; he smiled amusedly, but Jacquelyn looked more annoyed than anything. She was running on a schedule after all.

"Will you open the window before you go?" Jamie asked.

Jacquelyn gave him a wary look. "Dad, it's nearly a blizzard out there."

"Just open it," he insisted.

"Your nurse won't be happy about this, but alright," Jacquelyn hesitantly agreed. Jamie was expected to die at any second, and who was she to deny her father's potential last wish?

"Thank you," he said gratefully as crisp winter air flew into the room along with a multitude of snowflakes.

He was in solace only moments before the embodiment of winter himself sat at the foot of his bed. "Hello Jamie," Jack Frost greeted with a gentle smile. "It's been a long time."

"Jack," Jamie breathed. Though he remembered every detail of the winter spirit from when he was young, he wasn't prepared to be met with the ethereal being once more. He was the same simple, yet powerful being he met decades ago.

"Don't talk if it hurts you," Jack said, "I'm sorry for not visiting you throughout the years," he acquiesced, "but being a guardian took more of my time than I expected. I never intended for it to go on this long." Sorrow was visible in the cerulean eyes.

Jamie smiled at him in return. "I understand," he said.

Jack hesitated before speaking again. His mouth opened slightly as if preparing to speak, but he closed it once more to set his cane aside. Jack scanned over the withered man. Remnants of the bubbly child he once knew still resided in his features; how could Jack ever forget those chocolate eyes? They radiated the innocence of childhood even still. "The Man in the Moon told me about you. It was the first time he'd talked to me in almost four hundred years. The only time he'd bothered with me before was to tell me my name, but just now he said your name so clearly. I didn't believe it was him at first, but it was, and I knew I had to come to you. Now I see why."

"I'm not so young anymore," Jamie joked, his heart aching for youth. "I'm glad you came, Jack."

"Do you remember all those years ago when I had you ride through town on your sled? People talked about it for years afterwards," Jack said.

Jamie smiled in remembrance. It was one of his most vivid childhood memories. People talked about the incident for years afterwards. "How could I forget?"

A moment passed as the two drank in each other's presence, delighting in the other's company once more. "Jamie, you know, you never fell out of the protection of the Guardians." Jamie quirked a snowy eyebrow at this. "You never once stopped believing in us. We're made to protect children that believed in us, but apparently it extends long past childhood if someone believes. We always thought it was children because it's generally children that believe in us, but your light's never faded, Jamie."

"You've protected me all these years?" Jamie asked with a small smile.

"Always. And Jacquelyn, Katrina, Emma Lee and Devon, too," Jack said.

"I suppose Jacquelyn and Katrina's lights have long since faded, but knowing Emma Lee and Devon are still being watched over is comforting," Jamie said. Jack smiled a knowing smile, as if he was keeping a secret.

The moon hung high in the sky, bathing the snow laden ground with its light. Beams illuminated Jamie's room, turning his clean sheets pristine and pure.

"You've lived a good life, haven't you Jamie?" Jack asked, staring at the moon.

"I couldn't have asked for a better one," Jamie confirmed.

Jack sighed, tearing his gaze away from the moon to stare at the sheets below. "You were the first person to ever see me, Jamie; the first person to believe. You were my first friend. I can't ever thank you enough for that. You taught me more about life in the short time I knew you as a child then I did in the three hundred years before. The fact that you can still see me and talk to me means more than you know," he said, "the children that could see me have all gone, too. Not many believe in me, still, but you do; after all this time."

Jamie could have delved into how it wasn't a matter of fact or fiction as to the legend of Jack Frost and how he never stopped believing. He could have, and would have, but he was growing oh so tired; it was a struggle to keep his lids open. "Of course," he managed.

"Jamie, are you ready?" Jack asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer.

"Yes and no. But if I had to choose…yes," Jamie replied. Jack had to bite back the sting in his eyes. If only he could have spent years more with Jamie. There were so many possibilities for them, but now it couldn't happen.

"It's okay, just go to sleep now," Jack said lightly, sending a snowflake to tickle his nose as Jamie closed his eyes for the final time.

Jack allowed a few tears to fall in grievance before disappearing in the moonlit night.

* * *

**Hope I didn't butcher their personalities too much. The next update should be in a few days to a week.**

**Reviews are lovely! **


	2. Chapter 2

Blizzards and ice storms circled the globe. Violent arctic blasts berated the citizens unfortunate enough to be caught in the midst of the cold. Streets were too dangerous to drive and the temperature dropped into the negatives. The world stood in standstill in the midst of the extreme weather.

In the solace of his frozen-over pond, Jack wove his fingers into his alabaster hair and pulled violently. A violent, heart wrenching cry exploded from his chest before bubbling down to a low mewl. Whimpers pushed past his resolutely tight lips as tears freely cascaded down his cheeks. His pallor was even whiter than normal as he felt his life was being drained away. His vicious wails seceded to pitiful whimpers.

Why had he not been to visit his little friend for years on end? His heart constantly longed for the company of the first to see him. Because of that, Jamie always held a special place in Jack's life, so why had he allowed nearly a century to pass before finally visiting him – on his death bed? Was it truly because he was too busy as he said he was? Or was it something more? Perhaps he had been too afraid to see the inevitable transpire. Jamie was human – he would grow and age and mature with the years, leaving his childish antics behind. Jack wouldn't have been able to handle seeing the innocence and youth drain from his bright chocolate eyes.

Just then a tunnel appeared on the opposite side of the pond. Bunnymund popped through in a fit of annoyance. "'Ey mate! Just what is it ya think you're doin'?! Ya can't mess with the laws of nature like this, plus I'm freezin' my tail off!"

Jack seemed as if he hadn't even noticed his on-and-off friend appear. His self wallowing was much too important.

Snow clung to his fur. At the snowfall rate he could be mistaken as an albino in mere minutes. "Oi!" Bunnymund demanded.

Jack continued on in his ignorance, tears staining his pewter-blue jacket.

"That's it!" Bunnymund cried in annoyance. Ignoring the fact that he would rather lose a week's worth of carrots then trod over ice, he marched forward with a steely glare.

Trying his damned hardest not to slip and fall, he took his steps with caution but vigor. "Alright mate, pull yourself together and stop this weather! It's snowin' in Australia…IN SUMMER!" He bit as he grabbed Jack's shirt by the collar and lifted him off the ground to eye level.

This wasn't the first time Jack had been dangling by Bunny's grip, but it was the first time he submitted without a fight. Normally Jack would trash about and bite with his spitfire attitude, but he consented and allowed Bunnymund to hold him limp.

Noticing his resignation, Bunnymund's face smoothed to compassion. "'Ey, what's wrong?"

Jack raised his bloodshot eyes. He was able to slip a single word through his sobs: "Jamie."

Bunnymund immediately raised his eyes in realization. "Oh, kid, sorry to hear," he said awkwardly. Bunnymund wasn't one to console; he would frolic through flowers all day and bask in sunshine and happiness, but he never knew how to handle tears. He gently lowered Jack to the ice before coming to a decision. "Kid, you're goin' to Tooth, she'll know what to do with ya"

Before Jack could utter his protest, Bunnymund immediately opened a tunnel just to the side of the pond and dropped Jack unceremoniously into the earth.

After tumbling through miles upon miles of earthen tunnels, Jack finally emerged in Toothiana's castle. Immediately his presence was noticed as Baby Tooths began to flutter around him, swooning all the while. He didn't even posses the will to give them a gentle smile (which in hindsight was a smart decision as they possibly would have fainted at the sight of his teeth).

"Jack," a sweet voice welcomed him. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see the hummingbird-woman hybrid fluttering towards him. His gaze immediately dropped – he didn't want anyone to see him in such a distressed state, much less Toothiana. "Well this is a pleasant surprise!"

Jack's blizzard somehow managed to miss her domain. Of course, long ago Toothiana had set up an invisible force field to shield her domain from inclement weather and intruders (she took extreme caution after Pitch's rise).

She fluttered to the ground, stooping down to his level. Despite his attempts to hide his face, Toothiana couldn't miss his tear streaked cheeks and red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes. "Jack, what's wrong?" She asked placing a comforting arm around him.

He didn't trust himself with the truth yet, so he avoided the question with another one. "Teeth are memories, right? What happens to them when people die?"

She seemed shocked by this at first, but then replied without hesitation. "They disappear and move on with them to the next life. The memory of their teeth is what has them remember who they are as they move on from this realm to the next. Without them, they wouldn't know who they were after they left this world."

It was a semi-comforting thought to Jack. Knowing firsthand what it was like to be oblivious to oneself, it was nice that Jamie at least could keep his identity.

Without replying Jack rose to his feet and walked through the gold and marble castle. He needed proof that Jamie was truly gone and in a better place.

"Jack what's going on?" Tooth asked, fluttering behind him.

Jack set his lips in a tight line knowing full well that he would only break down further if he spoke. It was only so much longer before the world fell into another ice age.

He scanned the rows of golden cartridges, knowing full well there would be a blank where he most wanted there to be one filled. His gaze stopped dead and his breath hitched in a split second.

"_Jack_, what is going on?" Tooth asked once more with a soft demand.

"Teeth disappear when people die, right?" Jack asked weakly, not tearing his gaze away from the sight in front of him.

"Yes," she said warily.

"Then why are Jamie's teeth still here?"

* * *

Black.

That's all he could see in any direction; blind to the world as if his eyes had been painted in ink.

Then, a light brighter than any other bathed him in its glow. A full, round orb shone above him.

Staring down at his hands he saw they were devoid of most color, but smooth and young. He was clothed in a simple, loose, long-sleeved white shirt and pants, that were nearly radiating underneath the moon's glow.

He felt clean and pure – simple.

That was when he noticed warmth around his feet. Glancing down he saw he was standing in a shallow pool of water that stretched as far as the moon's light allowed.

In his reflection he saw only a mop of mahogany hair covering a pale face. Wide eyes stared back as he realized that he was seeing himself: a boy who could be no more than fifteen years of age.

But who _was _he?

Staring at the light in hope of answers, he heard only three simple words: _You are innocence._

* * *

**Sorry for the slow pace, I tried to make more of this chapter, but it just didn't work quite right. The plot should be moving along fairly soon!**

**And wow, thanks for the incredible response! I wasn't expecting hardly any, but this really overwhelmed me. Thank you all for reading and reviews are love! Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

Kris Kringle, more appropriately named North, stared at the rotating globe in front of him with conflict swimming in his eyes.

Folding his arms he inhaled deeply. Lights flickered like little stars - heaven on earth. The amount of children that believed was satisfactory, but when compared to the amount that believed hundreds of years ago it was almost shaming on the Guardian's parts.

Children were losing their innocence too early – it wasn't uncommon for a toddler to have lost belief. Media and society had discouraged all imagination and instead introduced them to the adult world, forcing them to grow too fast.

The school systems had ruled out all arts and music programs claiming them to be a waste of funding. The adult world ran like clockwork – on a schedule and repetitive. It was best for society.

Teenagers were giving birth every day and children no more than nine were staining their purity.

Innocence was evanescent.

If action wasn't immediately put into effect, childhood may be lost forever.

He glanced back at the elves swarming around his feet – two immediately fell under his gaze and fleeted to grab a tray of cookies. "Get ready boys, we've got company comin'."

With that, waves of aurora branched from the North Pole, calling like a siren to the fellow Guardians.

* * *

Jack clutched the tooth case to his chest and fell to his knees, too weak to hold himself upright any longer. "What – what's going on?" He managed to see between heavy breaths. Haze clouded his mind and he threatened to succumb to the black roaring waves wanting to overtake him.

He had seen Jamie breath his final breath. Jamie was _dead_.

"Jack, what do you mean 'why are Jamie's teeth here?'" Toothiana lowered to his side.

A roar of emotions welled inside him. All the anger and sorrow he had felt erupted in a sudden burst, threatening to send the world into an ice age. "Jamie is _dead_!" He shouted.

Toothiana flinched at his brash tone and all the baby fairies fluttered away in haste. Her eyes were so wide it was almost comical, but nothing could have calmed Jack. "I had no idea. Oh my goodness Jack, I'm so sorry!" She tore away from her state of surprise to one of utter sympathy and compassion. He shrugged away the comforting hand she placed on his shoulder.

"Tooth," he said through a clenched jaw, utter anger and confusion coursing through him, "you don't _get _it do you? Jamie is _dead_! His teeth are _here_!"

She inhaled sharply before tearing the cartridge away from Jack's grip. Scanning over the teeth, she saw it was indeed Jamie Bennett's. She would recognize those incisors anywhere. "What? I don't understand…" she said softly.

Her attention was torn away from the teeth by a stream of aurora borealis weaving through the night sky. "Jack, we're being called," she said softly.

"I'm not going," he said firmly.

She had expected this – he was in no position to be victim of possibly more devastating news. "I'll fill you in on everything, just stay here," she said and zoomed past the grieving frost spirit. She made it all the way to the outside of her domain before realizing the weather was far too inclement to fly. After a quick, firm scolding to Jack on the weather, the blizzard ceased and she was on her way.

* * *

"Alright North, get on with it," Bunnymund said, still rather annoyed with Jack's blizzard.

The Guardians, minus Jack, all stood around with expecting looks on their face. Deciding not to waste time North launched into the tale.

At the end everyone stood with confused expressions on their face. Various shapes appeared above Sandy's head, but no one was paying attention. It was Toothiana who spoke first. "What? I haven't noticed anything like that," she said.

"Me either, mate," agreed Bunnymund.

North sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "Because you tend to children whether they believe or not. It's Bunny's job to lay eggs around the entire world for children to collect – nonbelievers will still be able to pick those eggs up. Tooth, you collect teeth no matter what. If there's a tooth under the pillow you collect it, even if an adult has lost a tooth."

Considering this logic, they began to see that North had not, in fact, lost his mind. "But what are we going to do about it?" Asked Tooth.

"That's why I called you here. We can't let this continue," North replied.

Time seemed to slow as moon rays lowered into the room. The Man in the Moon, who only spoke when necessary, had decided to join. They all began to realize the severity of the situation.

North, who seemed to have the ability to hear what others could not, silenced as the moon began to speak to him. His eyes widened immediately and he inhaled a sharp gasp.

"Oi, what's he sayin'?" Bunnymund demanded. Tooth quickly silenced him.

North's eyebrows furrowed, causing wrinkles to crease on his forehead. Without a word he began to pace as the floor unfolded to reveal a beautiful crystal. "A new Guardian," he said softly.

No one had expected this. Toothiana gasped while a flurry of question marks appeared above Sandy's head. Realizing what was happening Bunnymund muttered a plethora of "please not the Leprechaun!"

Time seemed to still as the moon's rays tore away at the crystal, leaving behind a small figure robed in white – a tuft of mahogany hair atop his head.

"Who the bloody easter eggs is that?" Bunnymund asked incredulously.

All present Guardians gathered around the figure in wonder.

Recognition flashed in Sandy's eyes and shapes began appearing above his head: sleds, snowflakes, pitch. They all went unnoticed.

But then Toothiana began to recognize the chocolate eyes. How could she forget the purity they radiated? He appeared older, but without a doubt that was the boy who was thought to be dead. "Is that…Jamie?" A dainty hand flew to her open mouth.

Realization settled in all their faces as they recognized the child slightly grown up. Soon everyone was bubbling with excitement and confusion. Questions of how this was possible arose.

"Wait!" Bunnymund interrupted the confusion. "Didn't this son of a carrot die earlier today?"

Silence loomed over them as the two oblivious Guardians – Sandy and North – learned the news of his death. "Then how is he a Guardian?" Asked North.

"Well…it happened with Jack didn't it?" Inquired Toothiana.

Forgetting his confusion, Bunnymund grew annoyed once more. "Oi! Where is that son of a carrot anyway?"

"He's at my place. I didn't think it was right for him to come here in the state he's in," explained Tooth.

"Pfa! His state my rump!" With that a tunnel appeared below his foot.

Before he could fall down the hole to who knows where, Toothiana held a firm grasp on his fur. "Where do you think you're going? We've important matters to discuss!"

He jerked his body away from her fingers, wincing at the pull against his skin. "I'm going to fetch that self loather and drag his rump back here so he can stop his moping!" And with that he disappeared into the earth.

Finding himself appearing in Toothiana's castle only moments later, he glanced around in search of the winter spirit. "Oi! Jack! Get your tail over here!" Bunnymund demanded, but he was met with silence. Only the flutter of the Baby Tooths' wings echoed throughout the towering castle.

After a thorough and frustrating search Bunnymund came to a realization: Jack was gone. "Where in the name of Easter did that son of a carrot go?!"

* * *

He found himself walking barefoot through snowy streets – however, he wasn't cold. The white clothes that robed him were loose and thin, but the winter bite had no affect on his skin.

In a sudden flash he had disappeared from his shallow moon pool and had somehow transported to a small town.

Snow piled the streets, but the citizens seemed used to this and continued their daily activities.

He stared around in confusion – there was something eerily familiar about the place, but he couldn't pinpoint entirely what it was.

That was when he felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of his head. Glancing behind him he noticed a flaxen haired girl and brunette little boy staring at him. The woman who he assumed was their mother was chatting remotely to a man on the street – her face unreadable.

The boy whispered something to the little girl and immediately they bound over to him.

"I'm Devon, who are you?" Asked the little boy animatedly.

He was a bit surprised at being so forwardly addressed, but his heart warmed at the small eyes. Lowering down to their level he said kindly, "That's a secret, but it's nice to meet you Devon." He let slip a small frown. A secret kept even from him.

"I'm Emma Lee!" Said the girl with a mop of corn-colored hair.

"It's great to meet you both," he said warmly, "how old are you two?"

"Five!" Exclaimed Devon, splaying a whole hand.

"Nu-uh!" Countered Emma Lee "Five and a half!"

"Whatever!" Devon rolled his eyes.

He chuckled lightheartedly at the innocent bickering. The children warmed him from the inside out – he could _feel _their childhood. It was like magic.

An icy stare was cast their way. "Emma Lee, Devon, who are you talking to?" A younger replica of the children's assumed mother walked their way. Her icy eyes stared straight at him, however, they did not _see_. A small belly protruded from her hips. He felt a sorrow invade his heart at the sight.

"It's a secret!" Giggled Devon.

"You two are going crazier every day, I swear." She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Mom's ready to leave."

"_Katrina_," Emma Lee whined, "I don't wanna go! I wanna talk to him some more!"

Once again Katrina stared at the spot where he rested on the ground. "Seriously you two, there's no one there. _Grow up_," she bit.

Those two words were like daggers to his heart. Extending from his core, he felt the poison ink his veins. He clutched his chest and squeezed his eyes tighter. "It's okay you two," he said softly, "if your mom needs you then you should go."

Emma Lee and Devon both looked at him and gave warm smiles. The pain in his chest immediately dissipated. "Bye bye then!" They said in unison before bouncing off behind Katrina. Every so often one would sneak a snowball and pelt it at Katrina's back. Immediately she would shoot a steely glare and the twins would bite back their giggles.

Unfamiliar warmth blossomed throughout him. Despite his confusion as to who he was, he had a newfound motivation to strive forward.

He strode throughout the town with purpose. Every now and then a child would cast their gaze his way and wave slightly, motivating him all the more.

Fatigue began to weigh upon his muscles and soon found that he had nowhere to go.

He decided the forest would be the best place to seek shelter as it was barren and he wouldn't be intruding on anyone's property. With resolution in mind, he marched forward.

* * *

While the warmth of Tooth's castle was comforting, more than anything he longed for the familiarity of his own pond.

He would explain his absence to the other Guardians later, but right then he simply couldn't carry on.

Absentmindedly he sent snowflakes whirling around in front of him, detailing sleds and dreams.

The cartridge of teeth was clutched tightly to Jack's chest. How was this possible? He witnessed Jamie's final breath – Jamie was dead. But the teeth were there.

A shuffle in the trees followed by an alarmed voice disturbed his musings.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Said a voice in fear.

Immediately forgetting his sorrow, he raced toward the sound resolutely. No one would be in danger under his turf.

However, he wasn't prepared to be greeted with the sight of two of North's yetis, preparing to stuff a boy in a sack.

"Hold up a second, guys!" Jack attempted to stop the two from practically kidnapping the boy. But he was slightly too late.

Before the other was shoved with full force into the sack, Jack caught the sight of a mop of brown hair and the shimmer of brown eyes. Time seemed to stop as earth met ice.

Then they were gone, and Jack was left to stand shell-shocked.

The falling snow froze in place midair.

Was it possible? Did his eyes deceive him?

Finally Jack was able to find his voice. "Was that…Jamie?"

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

Riding the winds Jack flew furiously; the currents breaking scientific barriers. He didn't care in the slightest.

The mop of brown and sparkling eyes could be recognized halfway across the globe – did his mind deceive him? Was his psyche so demented from the pain of the loss that he configured a false Jamie to deal with the trauma?

Part of him, a small inkling stored in a crevice in his brain, hoped that was true, but it was soon scattered like a snowflake in the wind.

What he wouldn't give to see him once again – bubbling and gleeful in his youth.

As fast as he was flying, it was no surprise when he stumbled across North's domain in next to no time.

Thoughts of courtesy aside, and possibly a simpler entrance, Jack promptly crashed through a window, sending iridescent shards throughout the workshop. Elves scattered and bumped into each other in haste to avoid the shower of shards. Yetis merely glanced upward as the sharp glass bounced off their firm skin.

Jack landed with a firm thump on his feet – a slight insanity fevered his eyes. He was drugged with the thought of Jamie.

"What in the name of Christmas is goin' on here?!" Thundered a deep voice as North marched in the room, he paused in his steps at the sight of the shattered window – his eyes grew even wider at the sight of Jack. "Jack Frost just what is it that you think you're doing?"

Never one to beat around the bush, Jack breathed deeply before asking, "Jamie- was that him?" His voice was bitter and cold as a snow drift.

North paused a second before answering, "You'd better come with me boy." He gestured with a flick of his wrist, and walked out of the room without another word.

Jack, angry at the lack of response, marched afterward. "Hey! I asked you a question and I better get an answer!" Jack was _furious_ – he never insulted North. After the incident with Pitch he had gained a slight reverence for the elder, but anger often hazed the minds of ones already quivering on the edge of a cliff fall.

North abruptly halted, Jack thumped into his back at the sudden stop in motion. "Now listen here," North said, his voice uncharacteristically low, "you've worked your way off the naughty list, but you're just about to make it back on, boy. Now do as I say and follow me."

Jack huffed indignantly, but followed behind, stewing in his frustration.

North led them in silence through corridors – the tension was nearly palpable.

Suddenly they came upon the heart of the workshop – the epicenter of the world. Jack looked up at the glowing lights on the rotating globe. If he weren't so frustrated, he would have smiled lightly. It always caused him to smile whenever he saw a child that believed.

Raised on a platform was a pillar illuminated by the moonlight. Omniscient and silent, the Man in the Moon sat above, bathing the room in his glow.

North led them up the stairs to stand beside the pillar and stared at Jack expectantly – calculating and analytical.

"What?" Jack asked, wondering what it was he was missing.

"Look at the figure, Jack. Who is it that you see?"

Jack's pewter-blue eyes took in the human figure – oh how familiar that figure was. Even in a form of a hologram, the earthy eyes sparkled. "Is that…but…why?"

North breathed deeply, not tearing his gaze away from the illusion of Jamie. "Yes, Jack, that is Jamie. The Man in the Moon has chosen him. There is a new Guardian."

Jack blinked once, then twice, and then he began to laugh. North's eyes widened in shock. Jack struggled to keep himself upright as bubbles of laughter spilled over his lips. Tears began to pool in his eyes from the force. "Oh man…" Jack struggled to say. "That is one _sick _joke you guys are playing on me."

North could only stare as Jack crumbled under insanity. "Jack, I assure you this is no joke. The initiation ceremony has already taken place. We sent Bunny to come get you for it, but you were gone."

Jack wiped away a stray tear as the bubbles subdued to small chuckles.

"Do you want to see him?" North asked a redundant question.

Jack let out a bark of laughter – one single burst. "Sure, I'll play along for now." And he followed North, who was giving him a wary glance, down another hallway.

Jack's actions confused him. Just moments ago he was so sure, even through the haze of confusion, that Jamie was alive. He had seen the evidence, seen the breath he exhaled fog the air. And there was North, one of his most trusted comrades, saying from his lips that Jamie was alive – a Guardian even.

So why, with the hope and evidence weighing his mind, could he not believe it?

"Tooth, Bunymund, and Sandy have all left. I thought it would be best if you had this meeting to yourselves." North had led them to the door of his office. Jack glanced over it warily. He breathed resolutely, pushed past North, and opened the door to his office with a _bang_.

Two tiny elves scuttled around the floor, a tray of cookies dispersed between them. They chatted animatedly as if not sensing the mood.

Sitting at North's desk with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes was a boy of around fifteen years of age. His shining eyes watched as the elves scurried around one another, attempting to see who could stuff their cheeks with the most cookies.

Jack found his eyes glued to the boy – it was the same one that had been stuffed into the sack. The face was mostly devoid of baby fat and the hair a little longer and scruffier, but there was no denying he resembled the boy who believed.

"Is that…are you…" Jack failed to find words.

The boy behind his desk glanced up in shock – he had been too entranced by the little elves to notice the door slamming open.

When earth met ice, time stopped. The boy behind the desk, having no memories, felt a sudden tug at his subconscious at the sight.

"I'll leave you two to be," mumbled North, glaring at the elves who promptly scurried out the door. It closed with a small click behind him.

Jack felt he could drink in the sight like water. The boy before him radiated youth and health – innocence and purity. "Jamie?" He asked warily, "Is that you?"

The one proclaimed to be Jamie waited a beat before replying, allowing his scattered thoughts to form together in somewhat coherence. "I don't know who I am," he replied.

Jack furrowed his brows together in confusion. "If you're a Guardian, then the Man in the Moon should have told you your name. That's what he told me…that's all he ever told me." He moved to sit cross legged on the desk.

Jamie found he couldn't tear his gaze away from Jack. "I heard from the moon when I woke up."

"What did he say?" Jack asked eagerly.

"He told me…" Jamie seemed lost in thought. "_You are innocence_."

"You are innocence…" Jack repeated to himself. "No name? No clue as to who you are?"

Jamie shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I don't know anything about myself…"

Jack felt sympathetic for the boy – he knew all too well how that felt. "I know how you feel. For three hundred years I didn't know who I was, but the Man in the Moon at least told me my name."

"You didn't remember?" Jamie asked, "How did you figure it out?"

"I used my old teeth to…my teeth…that's it!" Jack hopped up off the table. "If you really are Jamie then we'll know by your teeth!"

"I…what?"Jamie asked incredulously, knitting his eyebrows together.

Jack reached over the desk and clasped Jamie's hand in his own. With a violent yank Jamie was sent flying over the desk and in tow behind Jack. "We're getting your memories!" Jack's eyes were warm once again. His cheeks, though pale as the snow, held a slight flush of color that only appeared in certain situations. He had _hope_.

Jamie had no choice but to follow as Jack whisked them through the workshop, past dazed elves and a stunned North. The elder's cries echoed behind them, but Jack cared little. In a swift bound Jack sent them through the broken window and soaring to the skies.

And in that moment, they were free.

The wind lapped at their cheeks and the snow swirled past them in a blur, but despite the frigid temperature, neither felt the bite. They were warm – they were safe.

Jack couldn't help but smirk as a tinkling laugh filled the air. He glanced behind to see Jamie's eyes widened in unprecedented glee and elation. The little bubbles of laughter that slipped past his lips was like a symphony. Then, Jack knew. He hadn't been lied to, his eyes didn't deceive him. It was Jamie's hand he was holding. It was Jamie's warmth that radiated into him. Jamie was there, alive. The Man in the Moon had saved him.

All too soon they were at Jack's frozen pond overlooking the quaint little town. "Do you recognize this place?"Jack asked as they stepped barefoot into the snow.

Jamie glanced over the hills. "I came here earlier today, and I feel like I should know it."

"This is where you lived your entire life," explained Jack. "This is where we met."

Jamie's gaze turned to Jack. "We knew each other before?"

Jack smiled in remembrance. "We did. You were the first person to see me – one of my first real friends."

"Friends?" Jamie questioned, and then his face broke into a smile. He liked the sound of that. "But how-"

"Your teeth," Jack interrupted. He was growing impatient. The process would expedite with them.

"Oh, right," Jamie caught himself. "You have them?"

Jack nodded and explained everything about memories and the Tooth Fairy. Jamie drank in every word as if it were a glass of ice water on a blistering summer's day.

"I left them somewhere around here…" Jack said to himself as his eyes scanned over the pond. He dug through snow and checked underneath bushes to try to find the golden cartridge. It shouldn't have been that difficult. It was a fleck of gold in pristine white – it should have beckoned to them like a siren.

Eventually Jack grew so frustrated he was forced to resort to unearthing shrubbery. Jamie was about to raise a hand to stop him before Jack released a frustrated cry.

"Jack, what is it?" Jamie asked.

"They're-" Jack glanced around in disbelief. "They're gone."

* * *

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews, favorites, and follows! They're what drive me to update faster! So if you want more, review please!**

**And to the anonymous reviewer who asked if they could use "Son of a carrot" in real life…Go right ahead :D!**

**See you at the next update!**


	5. Chapter 5

Katrina Bennett stormed through the snowy city, cheeks flushed as she wore her anger on her sleeve.

She was coddled under a heavy winter coat that deemed slightly too small due to her protruding abdomen.

She needed escape if only for a short while. The snow didn't bother her, she was used to the cold. But it was the baby she was worried about, was it safe for it to be in such frigid temperature?

Her mind was far too clouded with anger to think rationally though, so she trudged forward with the only idea of escape in her mind.

She and her mother had never been close by any means, but they always were at least civil to one another. Like every parent and teenage child they had their quarrels for sure, but they never surpassed small bickering and slight frustration that usually resulted in avoidance of the other respectively until the next day, but they had been pushed too far this time.

Katrina was only fifteen years of age, barely a teenager, and she was six months pregnant. She had her entire life ahead of her. She had to attend prom, graduate high school, attend college, _live_. How could she due that under the burden of a child? Adoption seemed like the best option. They found a family willing enough to agree to an open adoption so it wasn't as if Katrina would never see the child. She would be able to continue her life and see her child at the same time. It seemed the ideal situation.

But Jacquelyn vehemently refused. She claimed that it was Katrina's responsibility to raise the child, and she had offered to help in any way possible. She claimed that family should remain family, and while Katrina agreed, the circumstances were not such that another child could be raised in the household.

Her father had left the family when she was very small and had next to no memory of the man. She knew he was tall and had the warmth of a fire in his eyes, but that was all. No name or face to place on the person though. She was taking her own part in raising Emma Lee and Devon, and they were enough of a handful as it was. How could she take care of another child on top of that?

Jacquelyn had only voiced her opinion in a passing by, allowing Katrina to know, but not forcing anything on her. But once they arrived home Jacquelyn vehemently insisted the child stay with them and lambasted any opposition on Katrina's part. She knew her mother was slightly on edge after Grandpa Jamie's death, but it was simply too much.

She had been close to Grandpa Jamie as a child and deeply cared for him. He was a role model, a father figure where hers was absent. Once she hit puberty she began to become noticed by boys, and she liked the attention she received. She detached herself from her family slowly in favor of the lecherous glances from the opposite sex. She adored the attention she received and gave back what was requested of her, and it had all been fun and flirtatious until one day the pregnancy test showed a little pink plus.

She never saw the father after that.

She trudged forward into the forest, feeling herself grow tired from the strenuous steps through the snow bank. She leaned against a tree trunk for a moment to catch her breath. She didn't know where she could go. Anywhere other than home was fine. She didn't particularly want to stay in the forest, but she had no intention of returning home for quite some time. She would stay in the woods and freeze before she turned back.

_Go little girl, go to the pond_.

Katrina glanced around warily. Had she heard a voice?

_To the pond_. It repeated insistently.

"I'm delusional," she muttered to herself before finally deciding to go along with her hallucination. Once she reached the outskirts of the sheet of ice she glanced around and laughed to herself. Of course there would be nothing there.

_In the snow, by the bush_. The voice whispered into her mind.

She took a step forward, noticing the shrubbery, before she paused midstep. The voice in her mind was not her own. It was deep and had a haunting sort of melody to the tone. It brought chills up her spine, but at the same time she felt compelled to follow.

_Take what you find_. The voice echoed in her head. Katrina glanced around warily, watching her breath fog the air. She scanned the area to find she was alone.

Sighing to herself, she kneeled down in attempt to peek under the bush, but she found her swollen stomach prevented her from lowering all the way down. Knitting her eyebrows together in frustration she extended a bare hand underneath, biting her lip at the frigid air biting at her hand. She couldn't keep it out for long, she knew. But then her hand found a solid object and she felt her fingers curl around it.

Pulling it out for examination, she noticed it was a solid gold…tube of some sort. A boy's face was printed on the side and she found it looked vaguely familiar.

_Take it, and wait for me_.

* * *

The Baby Tooths scoured the globe incessantly in search of the teeth. Once Toothiana received the news of the teeth's disappearance, she refused to rest until they were found.

Jack had mentally slapped himself for being so careless. Had he not been so caught up in the excitement of possibly finding Jamie, they wouldn't be in said situation.

Jamie, being the kind spirit he was, assured Jack that everything would turn out fine. Surprisingly, he didn't seem the slightest bit frustrated that his possible memories were missing. Instead he stood there with a soft smile on his face. One look at Jamie and Jack was immediately calm – the boy soothed him.

It wasn't hard for them to scour the world, teeth called them in like sirens.

One in particular happened to flutter by the window of a double story house and caught the sight of a flaxen haired girl running her fingers over a golden cartridge. There they were, right before her. The teeth had been found!

Toothiana would be there in less than a blink of an eye.

* * *

Katrina sat on her bed, running her fingers absentmindedly over the cartridge. Whatever force had compelled her to take the teeth had also summoned her home. She immediately forgot her anger and spun on her heels. She was flippant once more.

Emma Lee and Devon greeted her at the door enthusiastically, but she paid them no mind as she trudged past her questioning mother and locked herself in the room.

Whatever was happening, she didn't question it. It felt natural to have the tube in her hand, and she felt good for providing a service to the omnipresent voice.

That was until she heard a clatter at the window. Her eyes fleeted to the source of the sound, and she nearly fell off the bed in fright.

A small shriek escaped past her lips at the sight of the humanoid figure. What _was _that? It appeared that an…an oversized hummingbird was out there.

But the fairy didn't appear hostile. There was a kind, almost pleading look on her face. Katrina instantly felt comforted by the person and all her fear dissipated. Despite the thought that she was very possibly succumbing to a demented psyche, Katrina accepted it as reality.

_Don't let her in_. The voice in her head commanded, and she paused mid step as she realized she was beginning to walk forward.

The voice had come out of nowhere, and once again she felt compelled to listen. She shook her head no.

No, she wouldn't let her in.

No, she wasn't real.

No, this was all a hoax.

_The teeth are mine, don't give them to her_.

And so she wouldn't. She would stand resilient against the humanoid hummingbird. She would stand her ground.

But the fairy had other ideas. An apologetic look appeared on her face before the window flew open.

"What? How did you-" Katrina began to stammer, but was quickly cut off.

The fairy held her hands up in a sign that she wouldn't harm the other. "It's okay, I just want the teeth."

Katrina drank in the sight of the other, wondering how this was possible. _Don't give them to her_. "N-No. You can't have them," she insisted, clutching the cartridge to her chest.

"Katrina, I don't want to have to do this, but I can take them by force if necessary," The fairy warned.

_Resist!_

"No!" Katrina cried, but it was slightly too late. The fairy had a soft dust traveling from her, and Katrina felt herself grow limp.

The tooth fairy lightly flew over and cradled Katrina in her arms. "I'm sorry about this, but I have to get those teeth back."

And Katrina's world went pitch black.

* * *

**I don't typically like OCs, but Katrina is necessary for this story, so I'm sorry if you don't like OCs, because I completely understand. **

**Thank you all for the reviews! They're lovely and motivation for writing!**

**Until next time!**

**(Oh, and did anyone catch the pun there at the end XD?)**

**Edit: 1/29 thanks to LittleV123 for pointing out a rather obvious typo!**


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